2Department of Radiation Oncology, American Hospital, İstanbul-Türkiye DOI : 10.5505/tjo.2024.4351 OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to evaluate early skin reactions in patients with breast cancer treated with the FAST -Forward radiotherapy regimen after surgery.
METHODS
Between December 2019 and August 2022, 60 patients with breast cancer received the FAST-Forward
radiotherapy protocol: 26 Gy delivered in five fractions of 5.2 Gy each, using tangential field-in-field
techniques.Treatments were administered on consecutive weekdays, and skin reactions were graded
using the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) system in the second and sixth weeks after radiotherapy.
The radiotherapy area and contralateral breast were photographed, and the patients were asked
to report any breast swelling as a subjective symptom.
RESULTS
The median patient age was 71 years (range: 51-86). All had T1-2 and N0-1 disease and received adjuvant
radiotherapy following surgery. In the second week after radiotherapy, 7 patients (11.6%) had grade
1 skin reactions and 1 patient (1.6%) had a grade 2 reaction. By the sixth week, five of the seven grade 1
reactions had resolved, with one remaining in grade 1 and one increasing to grade 2. The initial grade 2
reaction improved to a grade 1 reaction. None of the patients reported breast swelling in the second and
sixth weeks after radiotherapy.
CONCLUSION
Considering the impact of skin reactions on the patients" quality of life, the FAST-Forward protocol
appears to be a safe and comfortable option for patients who meet the appropriate criteria.